Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40167860›Full record

SynthesisCurrent pain and headache reports2025

Epidemiology of Pediatric Chronic Pain: An Overview of Systematic Reviews.

Alessio Lo Cascio, Miriam Cascino, Marcella Dabbene, Antonella Paladini, Omar Viswanath, Giustino Varrassi, Roberto Latina

Registry-linked trialAbstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Current pain and headache reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07630350 (Use of Virtual Reality in Outpatient Management of Pediatric Chronic Pain of Head, Neck and Upper Extremity), which is not on this map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT07630350 naenrolling by invitationnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

Use of Virtual Reality in Outpatient Management of Pediatric Chronic Pain of Head, Neck and Upper Extremity

TypeinterventionalSponsorElizabeth PickleRan2026 to 2027Enrolled20ConditionsChronic Pain ManagementArmsVirtual reality gaming, Physical therapy exercises
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Alessio Lo CascioDepartment of Biomedicine and Prevention, Tor Vergata University of Roma, Via Montpellier, Roma, 1 - 00133, Italy. alessio.locascio@hotmail.it.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5581-4114
Miriam CascinoDepartment of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialities, University of Palermo, Palermo, 90127, Italy.
Marcella DabbeneDepartment of Nursing Research and Management, La Maddalena Cancer Center, Via San Lorenzo, 312/D, Palermo, PA, 90146, Italy.
Antonella PaladiniDepartment of MESVA, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, 67100, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1219-9315
Omar ViswanathCreighton University School of Medicine, Mountain View Headache and Spine Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6124-7037
Giustino VarrassiFondazione Paolo Procacci, Roma, 00193, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3822-2923
Roberto LatinaDepartment of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialities, University of Palermo, Palermo, 90127, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7829-3654

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purpose of reviewChronic non-cancer pain in children and adolescents represents a significant public health issue, affecting physical, psychological, and social well-being. Defined as pain persisting for over three months, this condition is influenced by developmental, socioeconomic, and cultural factors. However, its prevalence remains uncertain and debated. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across electronic databases, including Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library. Eligible systematic reviews were critically appraised using the AMSTAR-2 tool to assess methodological quality. This overview synthesises evidence from existing systematic reviews to provide an updated understanding of the epidemiology and burden of paediatric non-cancer chronic pain. RECENT

findingsFindings revealed substantial variability in the reported prevalence of specific pain types: headaches (4-83%), abdominal pain (4-53%), musculoskeletal pain (4-40%), and back/low-back pain (14-24%). Prevalence was generally lower in low- and middle-income countries, likely due to barriers in healthcare access. Methodological heterogeneity was observed across studies, and AMSTAR-2 assessment identified critical limitations in some systematic reviews, impacting the reliability of findings. This overview highlights the urgent need for standardised research methodologies to accurately monitor the prevalence of paediatric non-cancer chronic pain. Standardisation is essential for informing policies aimed at mitigating the long-term impact of chronic pain in children and adolescents. Addressing these issues, particularly in resource-limited settings, is crucial for improving health outcomes and reducing societal and economic burdens.

Indexed as

Chronic PainAdolescentChildHumansPrevalenceSystematic Reviews as TopicChronic non-cancer painEpidemiologyPainPediatricSystematic reviewUmbrella review

Identifiers

PMID40167860
PMCPMC11961504

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.